Does just living in Kansas City give you barbecue cred?

I can cook you a passable steak, and my chicken won’t give you salmonella. I’ve even got a whole pig roast under my belt. But the reality is, I’m just an average backyard grill jockey, who dreams of plunking down a few hundred dollars and winning the American Royal one day.

But put me in an airport bar or a party on the East Coast, and my Kansas City residency provides me a well-undeserved status at the grill. Regardless of ability, does living in Kansas City give you instant barbecue credibility?